Driving mechanism



1921 2 Shee'Ls-Sheet l NVENTOR.

ATToR'EY July 29, 1930. T. A. BRYSON DRIVING MECHANISM origina Filed Feb. 12,

July 29, 1930. T A, BRYSON 1,771,525

DRIVING MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. l2. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m g INVENTOR.

B 'f 4 ATTNEY Patented July 29, 1930` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TANDY A. IBRYSON, 0F TROY, NEW YORK,v ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TOLHURST MACHINE WORKS, INC., 0F TROY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW Yom:

:DRIVING MECHANISM Original application led February 12, 1921, Serial Nm 444,444. Divided and this application led May The invention relates to mechanical driving means interposed between a motor and a machine driven thereby, and more particularly to a friction clutch and cooperating con- 5 nections between a driving motor and the machine driven thereby, designed to provide for widely different low and high speeds of the load, and for the motor getting up speed before taking the load, and in certain ofits 10 features the invention is specially applicable to centrifugal eXtractors.

y Objects and advantages of the invention lwill be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be I,earned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of finstrumentalities and combinations pointed `lout in the appended claims. 4 A rfhe invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements, herein shown and described.

This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 444,444, filed February 12, 1921, patented August 9, 1927, No. 1,638,239.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is an end elevation of aclutch embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detached side elevation of the centrifugally operated clutch member;

Fig. 4 shows the device of Fig. 3,.with parts omitted, looking thereat from the right;

Fig. 5 is a detached side elevation of the clutch member operated by the member shown f in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. `6 shows the-device of Fig. 5, looking thereat from the right;

(The devices shown detached in Figs. 3 to 6 ,are shown assembled in Figs. 1 and 2) Fig. 7 shows the drive of the foregoing figures applied between Ian electric motor and a centrifugal machine.

Serial No. 194,756.

The illustrated embodiment in its main features comprises a driving member rotating with the motor shaft, and an adjacent driven member connected to a belt pulley or rother connection to the driven machine, and a clutch device between the driving and driven members, the clutching action being determined or controlled by a centrifugally operateddevice and a spring cooperating or working against each other, the parts being proportioned and weighted to effect the` clutching action at a predetermined speed `of the motor shaft. The spring tension is variable or adjustable to effect changes in the predetermined motor or shaft speed at which the clutch engagement occurs. v

More in detail, a fiat disc is fixed on the motor shaft to rotate therewith, and adjacent thereto is a friction drum to which-is fixed a lelt pulley, and encircling the drum is a clutch and.

To one end of the clutch band is pivoted a I' lever mounted upon and concentrically with the disc fixed on the motor shaft. A second lever is pivotally connected to the other end of the clutch band, and is likewise mounted lpon and concentrically with the driving Pivotally mounted on one ofthe levers, or on a ring fixed to or integral therewithare a plurality of arms to the outer ends of which are attached weights. The arms so mounted on said lever have geared connections with a v geared circle or plate fixed to and concentric with the other lever, whereby the two levers move concurrently but in opposite directions, by which movement the clutch band isloosened to release the drum or tightened to clutch the drum.

Projecting from each of the lever structures is an arm, and between the two arms is a spring tending to press the arms together. When the disc is rotating the weights tend to swing outwardly under centrifugal force against the pressure of the spring. Whenthe centrifugal force has reached a certain intensity or power, the spring is compressed to av degree where the clutch band clutches the drum to effect the driving action. The parts are so proportioned and weighted and the ion spring pressure is so regulated that the clutching action takes place at the desired or predetermined speed of the motor.

Referring now in detail to the specific structure, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, the inventiony is shown applied to the drive of a centrifugal machine, although it will be understood that it has application in the drive of other machines. t

As exemplified, a centrifugal machine 1 is shown having a driving pulley 2, over which runs a driving belt 3. The belt 3 runs over a guiding pulley 4, and is driven from the device or mechanism 5, to which the present invention in certain of its structural features more particularly relates, the entire mechanism being driven from the motor 6.

Fixed on the shaft 10` of the motor 6 is a sleeve 11, keyed to the shaft b a key 12. Sleeve 11 comprises an external bearing hub 13, from which hub projects radially'an arm, or a plurality of arms 14, from which is supported a ring 15 concentric with the shaft 10. Projecting from the ring 15 is a radially disposed arm 16, to which is pivotally connected one end of a clutching band 17, the band being connected to the arm 16 by means of a pin 19 fitting in a hub 20 formed in the exterior end of the arm. The clutzh band 17 encircles the exteriorrof a pulley drum as will be later described.

Cooperating with theimechanism just described are devices adapted to cause the band 17 to engage the pulley drum at a predetermined speed, such devices operating by centrifugal action opposed by a spring; the ten'- sion of which is settable or regula e as desired. In the embodied form-thereof, mounted on the exterior of the sleeve 11 is a sleeve 24, from which sleeve projects an annular plate 25, fixed to or integral with the sleeve. Projecting radially from the annular plate or disc 25 is an arm 26, which has formed in the end thereof a hub 27, in which is carried `a pin 28 to which pin the other end of the clutch band 17 is attached.

The arms 16 and 26 extend radiallyand are relatively close to each other, the clutch band 17 being connected to each of these arms and encircling the pulley drum. As-the arms 1 6 and 26 recede circumferentiallyfrom each other, the clutch band 17 lreleases the pulley drum, and as arms 16 and 26 are drawn toward each other, through connections and by devices later` to be described, clutch band 17 tightens about the pulley drum and drives the pulley and its load. i

In the embodied form of centrifugally operated and spring controlled mechanism,

, there are formed in the periphery of the plate or disc 25 groups or series of gear teeth 31,

three such groups being shown. Formed in the ring 15 are vthree corresponding'- hubs 32, in which are mounted pins or shafts 33.

Upon the shafts 33, respectively, are mounted discs or wheels 34, provided with gear teeth 35, which mesh with the gear teeth 31 upon the disc 25. Projecting from each of the discs or wheels 34 is an arm 36, carrying at its outer end a weight 37.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the centrifugallygperated weights 37 are preferably symmetrically arranged, the disc 25 meshing with geardiscs 34 causes each of the weights to influence the movement of the rod 42 is a coiled spring 45, in tension between the lug 44 and a nut 46, screw-threaded on the external end of the rod 42. By screwing and unscrewing the nut 46 the tension of the spring may be changed, and thus the force yieldingly drawing the arms 40 and 43 together may be varied.

The yielding and regulable spring action so exerted vtends to move apart the arms 16 and 26, andto keep them yieldingly or resiliently held apart, and to keep the clutch band 17 loose about the pulley drum. As the shaft 10 rotates, centrifugal force will move the weights 37 outwardly, and through the action of the gear teeth 35 and 31 will draw the arms 16 and 26 together in oppsition to the pressure of the spring 45. The action or pressure ofthe spring remains fixed or constant, at the desired predetermined setting, while the force or power of the weights 37 increase with the speed of rotation of the shaft 10. thus the clutching or engaging action of the clutch band 17 will take place at any desired speed of rotation of the shaft 10, this being the speed at which the weights 37 through centrifugal action overcome the spring 45.

So far as concerns many features of the invention, the pulley mechanism may be of any 4desired form. As herein shown a friction sleeve 50 isl loose on shaft 10 and sleeved thereon is afliub 51 of the pulley 52. At its inner endvpulley 52 is fixed or integral with a disc member 53, the disc 53 at its outer or pe` ripheral end terminating in an annular or crown flange 54 extending perpendicularly from the flat face of the disc 53 and constituting the clutch drum.

It will be understood that this typical illustration is exemplary of the operation of the invention and is nowiserestrictive thereof'. The invention may be applied to any power developing device whose speed torque characteristics are such as may make its use advantageous. f

The invention vin its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown andl described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacriicing itschief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. A driving mechanism including in coinbination a motor shaft, a clutch mechanism comprising a disc fixed on the motor shaft, a drum, and a clutch device therebetween comprisin two actuating members and pivoted centri ugally operated weights connected to one of the members and adapted to move the other member to clutch the disc and drum to- 'driven machine and a spring connection between said members operating against the weights, and means for regulating the spring tension.

3. A driving mechanism including in com-r bination a motor shaft, a clutch mechanism comprising adisc fixed on the motor shaft, a drum, and a clutch device therebetween comprising two actuating members and pivoted iso centrifugally operated arms provided with weights, the arms being connected to move one of the members, anda spring device between the members and opposingy the centrifugally operated arms to cause the clutch devie to operate ata predetermined motor s ee p4. A driving mechanism including in combination a motor shaft, a clutch mechanism comprising a disc fixed on the motor shaft, a

drum, and a clutch device therebetween comprising two actuating members and pivoted centrifugally operated arms provided with weights, the arms being connected to move one of the members, and a spring device between the members .and opposing the cen` trifugally operated arms to cause the clutch device to operate at a predetermined motor speed, and means for varying the spring tension to eifect Vchanges in sai speed.

5. A driving mechanism including in combination a motor shaft, a clutch mechanism predeterminedV comprising a disc fixed on the motor shaft, a drum, and a clutch device therebetween comprising two actuating members and pivoted centrifugally operated weights adapted t0 move the one of the members to clutch the disc and drum together, and connectionsA from the drum to the driven machine, and a spring connection between said members operating against the weights. p

6. A driving mechanism including in combination a motor shaft, a clutch mechanism comprising a disc fixed on the motor shaft, a

drum, and a clutch device therebetween comprising two actuating members and pivoted centrifugally operated weights adapted to move the one of the members to clutch the disc and drum together, and connections from the drum to the driven machine, and a spring connection between said members operating against the weights, and means for regulating the spring tension.

7 A driving mechanism including in combination a driving shaft, a clutch mechanism comprising af disc fixed on the driving shaft,

.a drum, and a clutch device therebetween comprising a clutch band fixed to the disc, an

-actuating lever, and `centrifugal1y-operated weights pivotally connected to the disc and having a geared engagement with the lever to move the lever relatively to the disc to clutch the disc and drum together.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 'name to this specification.

A'rlnvnv A. BBYSON. 

